Thomas: 'Elites' like Obama

May 3, 2013
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Justice Clarence Thomas / Sidney Davis, AP

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

The Supreme Court's only African-American member says he's not surprised to see an African-American president - but it had to be one backed by "the elites."

Justice Clarence Thomas said during a recent interview at Duquesne Law School that he always knew "it would have to be a black president who was approved by the elites and the media because anybody they didn't agree with, they would take apart."

Thomas, whose conservative views have been criticized by some African Americans, said in the interview taped by C-SPAN: "Any black person who says something that is not the prescribed things that they expect from a black person will be picked apart."

Thomas also said he has met Obama only "in passing," when the president visited the high court. Thomas said he shook hands with the president at the inauguration, and that he was very polite.